Nikolaos Martis
WW II Veteran and Former Hellenic Government Minister
May 5, 2010
WW II allied Victory and Greek Contribution
The Allies on May 9, 2010 celebrated, as they do every year their Victory and the end of WW II in Europe in 1945. Particularly extensive celebrations to mark the 65th such anniversary took place this year in Moscow, in the presence of Heads of States, with parades of allied armies, and with special solemnity. In the Axis defeat in Europe, Greece contributed significantly. This fact has been ever since very much neglected, although at that time it was admitted openly by leading personalities of WW II.
In 1942, Moscow’s radio station broadcasted to Greece, during the anniversary of the entry of the German troops in Athens: "Unarmed you fought and won fully armed military hordes. You struggled small vs. big, and you prevailed. It could not be any other way, because you are Greek. Due to your prolonged resistance, Russia gained time to prepare to defend itself. We Thank you”.
The official History of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the Great Patriotic War (WW II), published in 1955 (page 42) states: “But the attack on the Soviet Union, which was planned to commence on May 15, was delayed by unforeseen events for the fascists. Small Greece, but with her heroic people, resisted so resolutely the invasion of Italian Fascism, that Mussolini was forced to seek the help of Hitler. In Spring of 1941 the leaders of Nazi Germany threw their armies against Greece.”
Statements by protagonists of WW II
The German Field Marshal Keitel said at his Nuremberg Trial “The sudden and strong resistance of the Greeks delayed by two more vital months our attack against Russia. If we did not have this great delay, the outcome of the war would differ on the Eastern Front, the overall outcome of the whole War would also be different and others would be indicted today.”
Hitler, in conversation with his friend, the famous filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, on March 30, 1944, made the following statement-confession: “Italy’s attack against Greece was catastrophic for Germany. If the Italians had not attacked Greece and did not need our help, the war would have taken a different turn. We would have managed to conquer Leningrad and Moscow, before the cold Russian winter settled in”. This was mentioned not only in the memoirs of Riefenstahl, but also in Hitler’s Political Testament, dictated just before his self inflicted death.
British Admiral Lord Alexander on 10/28/1941 stated: "It is no exaggeration to say that Greece upset all of Germany’s war plans and forced her to postpone the attack against Russia for six weeks. One wonders what the position of the Soviet Union would be without Greece.”
Foreign Minister Eden of Great Britain (the most pertinent of the allies on such matters the time ) on September 24, 1942, stated: “Regardless of what the historians will say in the future, what we can say now is that Greece first gave a memorable lesson to Mussolini and this was the reason of the National Revolution against the Axis in Yugoslavia. Greece was able to keep the Germans in the mainland and in Crete for six weeks with little help; thus reversing the chronological order of all the military plans of the German General Staff. Consequently the Greeks brought about a radical change to the German war campaign and perhaps to the entire course of the war ...».
U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt said: "When brave men lost their courage, the proud Greek people dared provoke the unbeaten motorized German monster, showing forth the idea of freedom."
In 1942, Frenchman Pierre Bourdan speaking in BBC said: “It will be proven over the years that following England’s decision in 1940, it was the bravery of the Greek people who did more to save the European civilization, created by the same people 2,400 years ago. We have to think of that when we establish Europe. Every act of ingratitude to Greece, will be a betrayal to Europe.”
Prior Events
As it is known, in October 1940, while almost all European countries were under Hitler’s domination, the Soviet Union was Germany’s ally and all the Balkan countries had friendly contacts with Hitler, Greece was attacked by Fascist Italy and won.
The British Merchant Marine Minister Philip Noel Baker, who was featured in a radio speech in 1942, said the following in the event Greece would have given in to Mussolini's ultimatum:
“Had Greece succumbed without a fight to the Axis attacks, no one would have had the right to blame her. I say this while we knew then and we know even better now, what it would mean for us if Greece had surrendered without a fight. The Axis would then have had the ability to develop throughout Europe lines of communications and our planes and submarines across the Mediterranean would be dominated from the Greek coasts by Axis forces. Our defense of Egypt would be much harder. Syria, Iraq and Cyprus would be taken over by the Axis and Turkey would also be engulfed by the Axis. The oilfields of the Middle East would be at the disposal of the Axis. The rear door of Caucasus would be wide opened and we would lose the entire Middle East and perhaps the war. Thanks to the Greek defense we were given the time first to fend off and then crash the Italian army, which moved from Libya against Egypt, to clear up the Red Sea from enemy ships, to move the American aid to the Middle East and to overcome the hostile threat against it. The results of the Greek defense are even felt today in our struggles. If Stalingrad and the Caucasus stand up today to the German pressure, it is not unrelated to the Greek defense, by which we are benefiting even two entire years later. The world really has no right to forget the feats of the Greeks at this historic moment.”
The adverse developments for Hitler’s ally Italy, overturned all his war plans made prior to October 28, 1940 and were the main reason for Hitler’s further altered decisions and moves. The first result was the delay of Hitler’s original plans and the postponement his attack on Russia, from May 15 to June 21, 1941.
Hitler, deeply concerned about events in Albania after the Italian invasion of Greece on October 28, 1940, called a conference on November 4, 1940 and raised the issue of a German attack against Greece, but only after the prior consent of his ally Stalin. On November 12, 1940, after a meeting of Molotov with Ribbentrop, and the consensus of the Soviet Union, the German attack against Greece was decided. On the same day, Hitler issued a confidential Directive to his Army General Staff, to prepare a German attack against Greece. On November 20, 1940 the planned German attack against Greece was named “MARITA” and on December 18, 1940 Hitler, by his No. 21 Directive, instructed his Military General Staff to prepare Germany’s attack against the Soviet Union, under the name “BARBAROSSA”.
In February 1941 the British Foreign Minister Eden came to Greece and reported to the Greek Prime Minister that Yugoslavia and Turkey refused to cooperate with Greece in fighting against Germany. The Greek Prime Minister replied that Greece would defend herself against a German attack, even if it meant that she would have to fight alone and without any allied help, in spite the fact she was already battling the Italians in Albania. Then an air gram from Churchill came to Eden, prompting his Foreign Minister not to pressure Greece to undertake a hopeless battle against the Germans. However, after the aforementioned Greek reply, a small military expeditionary force from England, Australia and New Zeeland arrived in Greece and fought against the Germans in Central and Western Macedonia.
Epilogue
The proud Greek “OHI” (NO) to the Italians on October 28, 1940, which stunned the world, was the first barrier to the victorious advance of the Axis in WW II. The second NO to the Germans on April 6, 1941 and the stanch resistance of the Greeks in Macedonia, was the first test against Hitler’s arrogance. The overall length of the brave Greek defense against the Axis attacks, until the occupation of Crete, lasted for 216 days. This was by far the longest defense of all other European countries, previously attacked and occupied by the Axis.
The heroic resistance of the Greek defenders, debunked the invincibility of the Axis and gave courage and hope to the free world. The legendary battle of Crete contributed to delay further the German attack on Russia, thus forestalling Hitler’s plans to attack the Soviet Union before the Russian winter had settled in. This was the beginning of the German defeat in Europe.
The Greek fighters with their heroism and sacrifices stood up to multiple German aggressive attacks, thus surprising the Germans. When they succumbed, the Germans presented arms to them and the German flag was raised only after the last Greek soldier was out of sight.